Self wedging devices for side boards in ingot molds

ABSTRACT

A pair of self wedging devices are disclosed as expendible metal members capable of being wedged between a pair of side boards in the upper end of an ingot mold so as to hold the same against floating and simultaneously engage and hold a second pair of side boards in the upper end of the ingot mold positioned at right angles to said first pair.

United States Patent LaBate 1*Sept. 23, 1975 [541 SELF WEDGING DEVICES FOR SIDE 2,921,772 1/1960 Boyd 248/354 S X BOARDS IN INGOT MOLDS 3.362.677 1/1968 Folberth 249/202 3.432.138 3/1969 Shephard et a1 249/200 X [76] lnvcntor: James B. LaBate, Chippewa P rk 3.540.689 11/1970 LaB-ate 249/202 x Rd.. Beaver Falls. P21. 15010 3.847.343 11/1974 LaBate 249/202 1 Notice: The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Nov. 12. 1991. Primary Iiramilter-Rtibert D. Baldwin has been disclaimed. Allorne). Agent. or Firm-Webster B. Harpman [22] Filed: Nov. 1, 1973 App1.No.: 411,794

U.S. C1 249/202; 248/351 Int. Cl B22d 7/10 Field of Search 249/106, 197202; 248/351, 354 P, 354 R, 354 S, 354 C. 357; 29/235 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 725 5/1929 Edwards et a1 248/354 P X [57] ABSTRACT A pair of self wedging devices are disclosed as expendible metal members capable of being wedged between a pair of side boards in the upper end of an ingot mold so as to hold the same against floating and simultaneously engage and hold a second pair of side boards in the upper end of the ingot mold positioned at right angles to said first pair.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SELF WEDGING DEVICES FOR SIDE BOARDSIN INGOT MOLDS BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION, I

l.-Field of the Invention 1 This invention relates to ingot molds and temperature controlling side boards or inserts therefore and devices for holding the same in desired position in the ingot mold.

2. Description of the Prior Art I Prior structures of this type have comprised support rods positioned across the top of the ingot mold so as to suspend the inserts or side boards and metal members in the side boards forming means for engagement with molten metal introduced therein asin US. Pat. No. 3,103,045. Simple bars positioned between side boards and holding the same by. frictional engagement in an ingot mold are disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,432,138 and in US. Pat. No. 3,606,240.

Other examples of the priorart structures maybe found in US. Pat. Nos. 3,627,427; 3,391,896;

3,178,783 and 3,165,798. r

This invention provides devices which are easily installed in an ingot mold to hold the side boards or inserts therein and, which devices will holdthe .side boards or inserts firmly in position despite irregularities in the dimensions of the ingot mold'and/or the side boards or inserts they are engaged against.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Self wedging devices for side boards in ingot molds comprise a pair of elongated expendible metal members having angularly disposed end sections which are serrated on their outermost surfaces, the angularly disposed end sections being movable as in bending the same relative to the elongated metal members. Parallel center sections of each of the pair of elongated expendible metal members are offset in a direction opposite to the angular positioning of the end sections so that when the serrated end sections are engaged against a pair of oppositely disposed side boards in an ingot mold the offset center sections of each of the metal members will engage and frictionally hold a second pair of side boards positioned at right angles to the first pair in the same ingot mold.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective elevation of one of a pair of self wedging devices for side boards in ingot molds.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of an ingot mold with side boards positioned therein and one of the devices of the invention positioned partially in place therein.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of an ingot mold having side boards positioned therein and showing one of a pair of the devices of the invention in fixed final position therein and holding all of the side boards engaged thereby firmly in the ingot mold.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the form of the invention chosen for illustration and description herein the self wedging devices for side boards in ingot molds comprises a pair of devices, one of which is illustrated in perspective in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

By referring thereto it will be seen that each of the pair of self'wedging devices of this invention is an elongated metal member 10 having an offset center parallel section'll and a' pair of angularly positioned distortable end sections-1 2 and 13.'The'offset central section 11 and the elongated member 10' are connected in offset relation by right angular sections 14 and 15 respectivelyand the elongated metal member 10, the right angular sections 14 and 15-and the offset'center section 11 are all flanged on their longitudinal edges, the uppermo'st flange being indicated 'by the numeral 16 and the lower flange by the numeral 17. The flanges l6 and 17 are continuous and terminate at the junction of the angularly positioned distortableen'd sections-'12 and Each of the distortable endsections 12 and 13 are provided with oppositely positioned; longitudinally extending flanges 18 and 19 on the' respective edges thereof and these flanges 18 and 19 are serratedas at ,zoandzi. I

The length of the elongated metal member 10 including the offset central section 11 is slightly less than the interior dimension of an ingot mold inwhich the device is to be positioned to retain a side board or temperature controlling insert therein and a pair of the devices as seen in FIG. 1 and hereinbefore described are used as hereinafter described. I I v By referring now toFlG. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that a portion of the top of an ingot mold M is disclosed and that a pair of oppositely disposed side boards S are shown therein with a third side board S positioned therebetween and all of the sideboards located against the inner surfaces of the ingot mold M. One of the self wedging devices hereinbefore described is shown partially positioned between the side boards S, and it will be observed that one of the distortable end sections 13 has been distorted and positioned relatively close to the side board 8', the serrations 20 and 21 thereon engaging the side board S against which it is positioned so that it cannot move relative thereto.

The other angularly positioned distortable end section 12 is still in its as formed shape and the serrations 20 and 21 thereon have not yet bitten into the side board S against which it is still slidably positioned.

When so positioned the self wedging device as seen in FIG. 2 is moved into final position by forcefully engaging it as with a wooden member or the like so that it moves into a position where the offset central section 11 thereof is tightly wedged against the side board S and both of the angularly positioned distortable end sections 12 and 13 are distorted and the serrations 20 and 21 thereof embedded in the side boards S as may be seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

By referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings the final positioning of the other one of the pair of self wedging devices for side boards and ingot molds may be seen and it will be observed that the angularly positioned distortable end sections 12 and 13 have both moved into their final tensioned position with the serrations 20 and 21 on each embedded in the oppositely disposed side boards S and with the offset central section 11 tightly positioned against the other one of the second pair of side boards S".

' It will occur to those skilled in the art that when the pair of self wedging devices are both positioned in their final holding location as seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the two pairs of side boards will be very firmly positioned in the ingot mold and that there will be no possibility of the same becoming loose or floating as might otherwise occur.

It will further be seen that the firm positioning is caused by the distortion of the angular distortable end sections 12 and 13 and that this distortion creates tension which is maintained.

It will further be seen that when molten metal is poured in the ingot mold and rises up into the area of the side boards being held by the devices described herein the same will not float and the expendible self wedging devices will freeze in the molten metal which will cool very rapidly thereabout and thereby additionally insure the retention of the side boards in the desired position.

Those skilled in the art will observe that when the side boards contain exothermic materials the temperature of the metal is desirably controlled thereby and the positioning of the side boards is thus essential to the proper pouring and the desirable formation of the ingot in the ingot mold. The sideboards with which the self wedging devices are used are consumable and as hereinbefore noted the devices themselves are expendible as the metal thereof becomes part of the ingot being poured.

The above described self wedging devices for side boards in ingot molds provide relatively easy and fast positioning of side boards in ingot molds and insure their proper positioning and retention during the subsequent pouring of an ingot in the ingot mold.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. Self wedging devices for side boards in a rectangular configuration in ingot molds comprising a pair of elongated metal members, sidewardly offset parallel sections in each of said elongated metal members inwardly from the ends thereof and oppositely disposed angularly positioned distortable end sections on each of said elongated metal members, sharp. pointed portions extending outwardly on each of said end sections and arranged to be embedded in said side boards when said elongated metal members are forcibly positioned therebetween with said sidewardly offset sections engaging additional side boards positioned in said ingot mold so as to hold the same in position therein.

2. The self wedging devices for side boards in ingot molds set forth in claim 1 and wherein said elongated metal members and the sidewardly offset sections thereof are channel shaped in cross section and the portions of the oppositely disposed distortable end sections are transversely flat at their point of engagement with said elongated metal members. 

1. Self wedging devices for side boards in a rectangular configuration in ingot molds comprising a pair of elongated metal members, sidewardly offset parallel sections in each of said elongated metal members inwardly from the ends thereof and oppositely disposed angularly positioned distortable end sections on each of said elongated metal members, sharp, pointed portions extending outwardly on each of said end sections and arranged to be embedded in said side boards when said elongated metal members are forcibly positioned therebetween with said sidewardly offset sections engaging additional side boards positioned in said ingot mold so as to hold the same in position therein.
 2. The self wedging devices for side boards in ingot molds set forth in claim 1 and wherein said elongated metal members and the sidewardly offset sections thereof are channel shaped in cross section and the portions of the oppositely disposed distortable end sections are transversely flat at their point of engagement with said elongated metal members. 